Tank for a liquid comprising a rigid frame and a flexible housing resting on the ground, the center of gravity of which can be raised above the ground, and the maximum capacity of which is variable

ABSTRACT

The device according to the invention is particularly designed to contain a liquid.

Tank for liquid comprising a rigid frame and a flexible housing resting on the ground, the center of gravity of which can be raised above the ground, and the maximum capacity of which is variable

The present invention relates to a tank for liquid comprising a removable rigid frame and a sealed flexible housing, designed to rest on the ground, and comprising a variable maximum capacity enabling positioning of the column of liquid at different heights relative to the ground.

The technical problem is to provide a tank for liquid contained in a flexible, reinforced, sealed, perfectly cylindrical housing whose installation is easy, whose capacity is variable and whose stability on the ground regardless of its relative flatness and its constitution provides safety to individuals likely to lean on it and a strong gust of wind on which cannot destabilize it.

The prior art teaches a tank comprising a rigid carrier frame and a flexible housing whose capacity is not variable and whose center of gravity cannot be raised above the ground in a secure manner because stability appears to be insufficient.

The principal solution comprises increasing of the base of support of the rigid carrier frame, whose extent is greater than the horizontal cross section of the flexible housing, while providing the flexible housing a support base attached to the rigid frame and whose height on it is variable.

According to a first feature the rigid, removable carrier frame comprises a single, heavy-duty technical pylon having at different levels of its length openings constituting anchor points for various technical parts. The pylon coupled to a special base comprising four height adjustable feet fitted with wide plates displaced relative to the horizontal section of the tank promotes making it vertically stable. This pylon is the backbone of the rigid structure and bears most of the weight of the liquid contained in the flexible housing by using two special ferrules attached horizontally on the latter and height adjustable. Four stiffeners having openings at different levels of their length, constituting anchorage points, positioned on edge relative the exterior circumference of the two ferrules to bind them to the base. The two height adjustments of the lower ferrule positioned in the low part of the pylon, serving as a support base to the column of liquid, give the flexible housing either its maximum capacity of liquid, or its minimum capacity of liquid. The upper ferrule positioned in the high part of the pylon, whose height adjustment is fixed using two special half ferrules, serves to maintain the cylindrical shape of the flexible housing.

The interior diameter of the ferrules is equal to the exterior diameter of the flexible housing.

The accompanying drawings show the invention:

FIG. 1 shows the rigid frame when the bottom ferrule is set in low position.

FIG. 2 shows the rigid frame when the bottom ferrule is set in high position.

FIG. 3 shows the rigid frame and flexible housing when the lower ferrule is in low position.

FIG. 4 shows the rigid frame and flexible housing when the lower ferrule is in high position.

FIG. 5 shows the base and the various parts composing it.

FIG. 6 shows the two half-ferrules and the upper ferrule.

Referring to these drawings, the device comprises a base (6) characterized by its geometry representing a “V” constituted by two metallic tubes having various openings. They are both connected at the interior of the “V” that they constitute, using screws, with a metallic part (4) whose geometry represents an isosceles triangle whose apex is truncated, which enables retention of the opening angle of the “V” and limits the mechanical effects of shear of the structure.

The lower part of the pylon (1) is attached to the end of the tip of the “V” that forms the base using removable metal tabs (5). All these parts, once screwed together, constitute an integral assembly. The base receives on both sides of its “V” that it forms, exterior side, at the first third of its height, a metal tubular arm (7) attached perpendicularly. These arms are the lateral stabilizers of the base. The ends of the stabilizers as well as the high ends of the “V” each receive a height adjustable foot (8) composed of a wide plate mounted on threaded rod with long travel.

These feet ensure a vertical position of the pylon and optimize the position of the center of gravity of the header tank support relative to its base of support, regardless of the relative flatness of the surface of the ground on which the tank rests.

The offset of the feet relative to the horizontal cross section of the column of liquid increases the support surface of the rigid frame and enables elevation of the center of gravity of the column of liquid contained in the flexible housing in a secure manner.

The technical pylon, with the assistance of this base, is vertically stable and thus facilitates the installation and the adjustment of the two ferrules on it.

The special geometric shape of the base despite a large offset of its feet relative to the circumference of the ferrules enables bringing of multiple exterior points of the latter into contact with a vertical plane to facilitate storage during a specific use of the tank.

The ferrules each receive multiple metallic tabs having rectangular dimension having multiple holes, attached on edge on their exterior circumference. Each ferrule receives six tabs. Two of them are attached on either side of the median axis of the ferrule; their distance of which relative to this same axis enables depth-wise reception of the pylon.

The four other tabs are attached respectively two by two symmetrically about the central axis of the ferrule. They are positioned almost directly above the four arms that form the base when the ferrule is mounted on the pylon.

On each of the four tabs are vertically attached, using screws, flat bars having holes at different points of their length. They enable interconnection of the ferrules to the base using removable metallic tabs.

The flat bars act as a stiffener (9) and bear a part of the load of the column of liquid. They also enable minimization of the flexural deformations of the two ferrules and limit the effects of torsion of the metallic structure.

The assembly of the metallic structure being rigid and joined by five points of attachment to the base fitted with height adjustable feet enables carrying out of an adjustment of the plate of the column of liquid, even with a large volume.

The pylon is in contact with two metallic ferrules positioned horizontally. The separation between them corresponds to the maximum height of the column of liquid.

The lower ferrule (2) holds on its entire interior surface a plate of wood (10) that rests on metallic bars attached transversely at regular intervals at the interior of the ferrule.

This ferrule fitted with this plate of wood gives the flexible housing a rigid and flat bottom and bear a large part of the weight of the column of liquid. The lower ferrule with two height positions on the pylon, a low that gives the flexible housing its optimal capacity and a high that reduces its capacity, but optimizes in height relative to the ground liquid output point for particular uses.

The upper ferrule (3) serves to maintain the cylindrical shape of the flexible housing.

The housing comprises a flexible padding, on its entire upper end circumference, increasing the thickness of the sheet.

Two half-ferrules (12) are applied on the interior circumference of the housing (11) in the lower border of the padding so as to pressure the sheet against the interior circumference of the upper ferrule. This pressure is exerted by clamping screws passing through holes provided for this purpose on the half-ferrules on the sheet as wells as on the upper ferrule.

The padding prevents the flexible housing from sliding towards the bottom when it is subjected to a traction force, coming up against the upper circumference of the half ferrules.

The two half-ferrules placed end to end have a circumference less than the interior circumference of the upper ferrule. They have oblong type openings sufficiently wide horizontally as their ends have wide horizontal slots in order to maximize and facilitate their installation.

These openings enable, relative to the clamping screws whose point is fixed on the upper ferrule, to obtain a lateral translation clearance of the half ferrules sufficiently large to compensate for the variations of thickness of the flexible housing, which increase or decrease its interior circumference and, as a result, systematically move the clamping points on the two half-ferrules. A lateral mobility of the half-ferrules enables overcoming of this technical problem.

The six tabs attached on edge on the exterior circumference of the upper ferrule have wide vertical slots. They enable a vertical translation of the ferrule relative to the attachment points which bind it to the pylon as well as to the four stiffeners so as to adjust the tension of the sheet of the flexible housing.

The flexible housing comprises a bottom drain that enables emptying of its contents completely.

The lowest service liquid outlet point is located at approximately ⅙^(th) of the total height of the column of liquid in order to maintain a constant minimum mass that increases the stability of the tank.

The flexible housing with a common size with two volume capacities:

a maximum capacity when the lower ferrule is in low position on the pylon

a minimum capacity when the lower ferrule is in a high position on the pylon

The dimensions of the flexible housing are calculated so that when it is installed in minimal capacity the excess of length of the material constituting it can be folded into the interior of the upper ferrule. The length of this fold does not exceed the height of the upper border of the ferrule. As a result, technically, it is possible to close the top of the column of liquid without inconvenience, possibly using a cover resting on the ferrule.

The rigid carrier frame can also hold two separate housings whose dimensions each correspond, one to the minimum capacity of liquid, the other at the optimal capacity of liquid.

The heavy-duty pylon as well as the four stiffeners constitute supports enabling attachment of various technical components, the list of which is not limited, to ensure the distribution of the liquid, the maintenance of the liquid, and the retention of the liquid.

The device according to the invention is particularly designed to contain a liquid, to ensure its distribution, its maintenance and its collection. 

1-17. (canceled)
 18. A device for containing a liquid in a cylindrical, flexible, sealed housing, whose installation on the ground is easy, whose volume is variable and whose center of gravity of the column of liquid can be raised above the ground to different heights in a secure manner, characterized in that it comprises a rigid, removable carrier frame provided with a single removable single, heavy-duty technical pylon which receives two ferrules, a lower ferrule serving as a base to support the column of liquid and an upper ferrule serving to maintain the cylindrical shape of the flexible housing, the aforementioned ferrules being equipped with four vertical stiffeners that connect the latter between themselves, the assembly of these parts being connected using metallic tabs and screws to a base equipped with four height adjustable feet.
 19. A device according to claim 18 characterized in that the single, heavy-duty, technical pylon is connected in its lower part to one of five ends of the base by removable metallic tabs that promote making it vertically stable.
 20. A device according to claim 19 characterized in that anchoring points located at different levels of the length of the single, heavy-duty, technical pylon enable the height adjustment and the mounting of two ferrules horizontally attached on the latter.
 21. A device according to claim 18 characterized in that four height adjustable feet positioned on four out of five ends of the base, the end receiving the pole having no foot, promote assurance of an optimized position of the center of gravity of the column of liquid relative to the base of support regardless of the relative flatness of the ground.
 22. A device according to claim 21 characterized in that the offset position of the four feet relative to the horizontal cross section of the cylindrical flexible housing promotes increase of the base of support of the rigid carrier frame.
 23. A device according to claim 18 characterized in that a metallic part whose geometry represents an isosceles triangle whose apex is truncated positioned between the two metallic tubes that constitute the base connect them and promotes giving the latter its geometric shape representing a “V”, while retaining its opening angle. This metallic part also promotes limitation of the effects of mechanical shear and torsion of the structure.
 24. A device according to claim 23 characterized in that the base receives on both sides of the “V” that it forms at the first third of its height, exterior side, a metallic tubular arm attached perpendicularly, thereby promoting lateral stability of the base.
 25. A device according to claim 18 in that the geometry of the base enables bringing of multiple points of the exterior circumference of the ferrules into contact with a vertical plane.
 26. A device according to claim 18 characterized in that the lower ferrule receives on its entire interior surface a plate of wood that rests on metallic bars attached transversely in the interior of the latter, thereby giving the flexible housing a rigid and flat bottom while constituting a firm liquid-column support base.
 27. A device according to claim 18 characterized in that the lower ferrule has two height positions on the pylon, a low that gives the flexible housing its maximum capacity and a high that reduces its capacity and promotes optimization in height of its liquid outlet point relative to ground, the upper ferrule remaining attached on the upper part of the pylon.
 28. A device according to claim 18 characterized in that the flexible housing is maintained in its cylindrical shape by two half-ferrules that are applied on the upper interior circumference of the flexible housing and maintain the latter pressed against the interior circumference of the upper ferrule using clamping screws traversing the four elements cited above through the openings provided on the latter.
 29. A device according to claim 28 characterized in that the two half ferrules placed end to end have a circumference less than the interior circumference of the upper ferrule. They have oblong type openings sufficiently wide horizontally as their ends have wide horizontal slots, thereby enabling, relative to the clamping screws whose point is fixed on the upper ferrule, to obtain a lateral translation clearance of the half ferrules sufficiently large to compensate for the variations in thickness of the flexible housing, which increase or decrease its interior circumference and, as a result, promote the systematic movement of the clamping points on the half-ferrules.
 30. A device according to claim 18 characterized in that the two ferrules are attached to four stiffeners having small cross section positioned on edge relative to their exterior circumferences inter connect them up to the four arms of the base and promote limitation of flexural deformations of the latter and the effects of torsion of the metallic structure.
 31. A device according to claim 18 characterized in that the six rectangular tabs attached on edge on the exterior circumference of the upper ferrule have large vertical slots. They enable a vertical translation of the ferrule relative to the attachment points located on the pylon as well as on the four stiffeners, which promote adjustment of the tension of the sheet of the flexible housing.
 32. A device according to claim 18 characterized in that the length of the flexible housing is calculated so that when it is installed in minimal capacity the excess of length of the material constituting it can be folded into the interior of the upper ferrule. This fold does not exceed the height of the upper border of the ferrule. As a result, technically, it is possible to block the top of the column of liquid without inconvenience, possibly using a cover resting on the ferrule.
 33. A device according to claim 18 characterized in that it comprises a service liquid outlet point and in that the lowest service liquid outlet point is located at approximately ⅙^(th) of the total height of the column of liquid in order to maintain a constant minimum mass in the flexible housing.
 34. A device according to claim 18 in that the heavy-duty pylon as well as the four stiffeners constitute attachment supports for technical elements, the list of which is not exhaustive, enabling assurance of the distribution of the liquid, the maintenance of the liquid, and the collection of the liquid. 